A woman of substance -DAWN Magazine; January 2, 2005
Under such conditions, and in the interests of her people, Chand Bibi opened the doors of negotiations with the Mughal army on previous terms. A eunuch, Jita Khan, who was also her valet, thought her decision to have negotiations with the invaders was pretty treacherous. Infuriated, he ran into the streets shouting that Chand Bibi was a quisling. An angry mob stormed Chand Bibi’s room and killed her. This horrible act took place on July 3, 1600. Abul Fazl narrates the tragedy:” He (Jita Khan) ran into streets shouting, and declared Chand Bibi to be a traitor. Thereupon a handful of short-sighted urchins followed him into the queens apartment and put her to death.” When the news of Chand Bibi’s murder reached her men, they were shocked. In retaliation, they hacked her murderers into pieces. The remaining men vowed to fight against the Mughals with all their power. But the Mughal army, after a long siege of four months and four days, entered the fort on August 19, 1600, killing 15,000 people.